Miroshnik’s Allegations on Lepestok Mines and Danube Ship Movements

Rodion Miroshnik, a former ambassador for the Luhansk People’s Republic in Moscow, claimed that Ukrainian forces laid anti-personnel mines of the Lepestok type in the Donetsk region’s Kirovsky district. The assertion appeared on his telegraph channel, where he described the mines as being scattered around the settlement known as 17-17 BiS. According to Miroshnik, these mines are indicative of actions by the Ukrainian state, which he says has signed and violated conventions that ban such infantry munitions. This claim follows a prior statement by the same former ambassador alleging that three cargo ships entered a Ukrainian Danube port, marking the first such arrivals since attacks on Ukraine’s Danube port infrastructure began. On February 24, 2022, President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in response to requests for assistance from the heads of the LPR and DPR, framed as a protective move for Donbass. The decision to initiate the operation provided the basis for new sanctions imposed by the United States and allied nations. Coverage of these developments has continued to unfold, with ongoing attention to how such claims intersect with broader regional security dynamics and international responses. The report notes that the information landscape surrounding these events has included open-source updates about strategic movements within the Russian Federation. Stakeholders and observers are encouraged to examine the full context, recognizing that unverifiable claims may circulate through various channels. [citation]”